The A-S Conquest- few written accounts Gildas(Gilas?), British monk, wrote The Ruin of Britain
c. 540 AD; moral tract denouncing sins
of BritonsBede
the Venerable, A-S monk, wrote The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
c. 700 AD. archaeological evidencepredominates- Britons may have invited A-S settlers to defend against
Picts and Scots 450 Vortigern
asked Saxons to settle in SE as mercenaries Quarrels with hosts? News of British
wealth?- 5th and 6th c. Saxons, Angles, Jutes, Frisians crossed
North Sea

King Arthur- Nennius, 9th c.
Welsh chronicler wrote of victory of British over A-S at Mount Badon
c. 500 by general named Arturus- basis for Arthurian legend slim tales derive from Geoffrey
of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain in 12th c. claimed Britain founded by King Brut
(origin of Britain), descendant of Aeneas peopled stories with armored knights
who fought on horseback and behaved chivalrously(problem?)

Fate of Celtic Britain?- most of “England”controlled by A-S by 6th c. AD- Britons fled to Wales, Cornwall, SW Scotland,“Brittany- some killed or enslaved;Wales and Welsh from A-S for
slave (Wealh’z)- some intermarriage- Celts helped convert A-S to Christianity (indirectly) survived in parts of Wales and Scotland spread by British missionaries to
Celtic tribes of Ireland in 5th c.St. Patrick
(died 461) followers established monasteries/schools
and produced beautifully illustrated manuscripts (e.g., Book
of Kells)- In 6th and 7th c. Ireland important center of Western
and Christian culture. 563 Irish monk St.
Columba established monastery on the Isle of Iona gradually converted Scots and Picts
Scottish converts established monasteries in N. England

Roman Christianity- 597 Pope Gregory I
sent a mission led by Augustine- converted King of Kent (wife was Christian)- established headquarters in Canterbury- appointed archbishop and primate of England

Celtic v. Roman Christianity- conflict resolved at Whitby
in 664- according to Bede, synod called by King Oswy
of Northumbria(Celtic Christian with RC wife)- Oswy decided in favor of Rome (Pope was successor of
St. Peter)- after Synod of Whitby
conversion of A-S proceeded quickly- conversion brought literacy (in addition to Bede’s
history, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle)

Political Development- A-S tribes established kingdoms(seven)- by 7th c. three kingdoms paramount and dominated in
succession- dominant kings called Bretwealda,
Ruler of Britain 7th c. mostly kings of Northumbria
were Bretwealdas 8th c. title generally held by kings
of Mercia 9th c. dominance passed to kings of
Wessex, who established first united English kingdom

Alfred the Great- most famous king of Wessex, only English monarch called
“The Great”- came to the throne of Wessex in 871 at low point (By
870 Danes had conquered other A-S kingdoms)- 878 victory at Edington Danes surrendered, king baptized,withdrew
from Wessex Alfred regained much of territory- 899 Danes controlled about half of England (the Danelaw)

Alfred’s Accomplishments- Successors in 10th c. recovered Danelaw and subjected
all of England to House of Wessex Danes returned in late 10th c. Cnut King of England in 1016 but ruled
in tradition of English kings- After 1035, the kingdom was ruled again by House of
Wessex- memorialized in biography by official, Bishop
Asser- was literate (unusual; next English king to be literate
was Henry II )- started A-S Chronicle- translated religious and historical works from Latin
into A-S“That man is very foolish and very wretched who will
not increase his intelligence while he is in this world.”